Defra has announced that biodiversity net gain will go live on 12 February 2024. From this date major development (unless otherwise exempt) will have to deliver net gains for biodiversity leading to positive outcomes for nature, better places for local communities and more consistent and transparent requirements for developers. Which types of development will BNG apply […]
The Westminster government has announced that the introduction of mandatory biodiversity net gain (BNG) in England has been delayed from November until January for larger sites developed through the town and country planning system, and April 2024 for small sites. BNG will not be mandatory for national infrastructure projects until 2025. The delay has not […]
The government has published indicative guide prices and information on calculating costs for developers buying statutory credits. They start at £42,000 per credit for a low distinctiveness habitat, up to £650,000 for high distinctiveness habitats (lakes). Defra notes that buying statutory biodiversity credits is a last resort option for developers unable to use on-site or off-site units […]
New housing, commercial and infrastructure developments are set to be “nature positive” from November onwards, the government announced, with the plans backed by £16 million of funding for Local Planning Authorities and guidance to support the new approach. Developers in England will be required to deliver 10% “Biodiversity Net Gain” when building new housing, industrial or commercial […]
Your Views Needed: Delivery Options for Strategic Marine Net Gain Have you been involved in marine habitat or species restoration or recovery projects? The Strategic MNG Delivery Task and Finish Group* is seeking views on potential options for the delivery of strategic Net Gain targets for the marine and intertidal environment. Your views will […]
A new international data collation exercise has brought together disparate seabed biodiversity data from across the North Sea into a central data set, helping to drive forward the sustainable expansion of offshore wind and to identify how biodiversity net gain can be delivered in tandem. The North Sea Net Gain study, led by The Crown […]
One of the elements of the Environment Bill, which is expected to become law by autumn 2021 is the principle of biodiversity ‘net gain’ for developments in England. Once enacted, requirements for net gain in both terrestrial and intertidal habitats (to mean low water mark) will have to be considered, with any biodiversity impacts which […]
23 July 2019: We have now published the summary of responses and government response. At Spring Statement this year, government announced it would mandate net gains for biodiversity in the Environment Bill. The government response sets out how we will work to bring this into force. 25 April 2019: We received 470 responses to this […]